Posts in this series

December was another month of reduced tinkering. This is probably because the new job was keeping me really busy, and that was compounded by the holidays. So what’s been shaking? Hmmm. Not much, I guess.

Code

Not much happened here in December. At the end of most days, I was too tired to pick up my personal laptop and start hacking away at things.

I have been noodling on paper, though, with ideas for a plugin that’ll run my Fontosaurus site, because I’d like to get that back up and running again.

3D Printer Project

As of the drafting of this email, I had everything except the heated build plate, which RepRap.me assured me was “on the way” and “probably stuck in customs,” after I ordered it in late November. It’s since been refunded and I’m looking for a replacement. And I also still need to order the extruder, which I’ll be doing soonish.

Assembly is slated to start in mid-January. Expect photos and videos soon.

Bike Shit

Still stalled. I seriously need to go chat with A-Train about next steps on getting the cyclocross/gravel frame done. I’ve got some ideas that I need to pursue with it — need to make some minor mods to improve tire clearance between the chain stays, get the seat stays on, and then miter/braze the fork. To that end, I did order up a large diameter (3″) tube, which will become the filler material for the cutouts I’m going to put in the chainstays.

I’ve also started designing a bike frame fixture that’s built around aluminum V-slot extrusion (the same stuff that comprises the printer frame). There are parts that will definitely need to be machined for it, but I’m going to start off with them as 3D-printed prototypes, just to ensure that everything works as I envision it. No sense in spending a buttload of money having a machine shop chop up some aluminum only to discover that shit ain’t working as planned.

Other Geekery

Scored the Lego U-Wing kit for Christmas, which is seriously cool. Slapped it together in an evening, and generally enjoyed the process of building it… Since seeing Rogue One (twice), I’ve been more and more enamored with the various starfighter kits, and am looking forward to the new Y-Wing kit coming in 2017.